Over the last 10 days, the Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) has penalised 33 businesses for unfair trade practices. Of them, 26 are shops and seven are vegetable wholesalers.
The businesses were found increasing the price of goods and selling expired items. Some 12 shops were caught, following complaints by people through OCP’s toll-free number and various social media platforms.
”We received 227 complaints of which we officially registered 63. Based on the complaints, we found out that some shops were selling expired goods while some vegetable wholesalers were found charging customers higher price than the agriculture ministry’s rates,’’ said Dawa Tshering, the Program Officer with the OCP.
Likewise, 21 shops were caught in unfair trade practices by officials while doing rounds. The office fined most of them. The Changzamtog area has the most number of businesses involved in such unfair practices.
The office has collected a fine of over Nu. 100,000 so far.
The OCP also asked three shops to close and recommended the Agriculture Ministry and the management of the Centenary Farmer’s Market to cancel the license of two vegetable wholesalers.
Following the incidents, the OCP has issued a notification to all the shops, dzongkhags, and thromde representatives, asking for compliance and stating that they are constantly monitoring the essentials shops.
In Thimphu alone, a total of 230 shops and 13 wholesalers have been in operation across 45 zones since the lockdown.
Tshering Dendup
